Thanet

Thanet's population grew in the decade to 2011. At the same time there were changes in work life, religion and housing tenure.

The population passed 130,000

In the 10 years leading up to the latest census, the population of Thanet increased by 5.9%, from almost 127,000 to 134,000.

The addition of almost 7,500 people means this area's population increased at a slower rate than the total population of England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Thanet was home to, on average, 9.3 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was higher than the average across the South East

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across the South East, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older Thanet

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Thanet increased by two years, from 41 to 43 years.

This seaside area had a higher average age than the South East and remained somewhat older than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The rise in age was because of an increase of just under 4,200 people between the ages of 60 and 69 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by about 2,000.

About 13% of people in Thanet are aged between 60 and 69 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, South East and Thanet by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Fewer people worked long hours

The percentage of employed people in Thanet working more than 49 hours in the week before the census decreased from 14% to 9.3% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

In 2011, just over 1 in 30 (3.4%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) said they had worked less than 16 hours the previous week, compared with 2.0% in 2001.

The proportion of people working long hours fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 14% in 2001 to 11% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 13% to 10%.

Long hour working in Thanet decreased by 4.3 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Thanet, the South East and England that said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

Change in unpaid care

The percentage of Thanet residents that provided between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care increased from 1.2% to 1.6% between the last two censuses.

The percentage who reported providing at least 50 hours of unpaid care each week remained close to 2.7%.

The proportion of people providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 0.8% in 2001 to 1.1% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 1.1% to 1.4%.

The proportion of people providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care in Thanet remained close to 1.6%

Percentage of usual residents in England, South East and Thanet by care, March 2001 and March 2011

Disability in Thanet

The percentage of Thanet residents whose day-to-day activities are limited a lot by a long-term health problem or disability increased from 3.9% to 4.9% between the last two censuses.

The percentage who reported being limited a little in their day-to-day activities remained close to 6.7%, while the percentage of Thanet residents whose day-to-day activities are not limited by a long-term health problem or disability decreased from 89% to 88%.

The proportion of people who are considerably limited by a long-term health problem or disability increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 2.5% in 2001 to 3.2% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 3.1% to 3.8%.

The proportion of people who are limited a lot by a long-term health problem or disability in Thanet increased by 1 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Thanet, the South East and England that reported being considerably limited in their day-to-day activities, March 2001 and March 2011

Religion in Thanet

The number of people in Thanet that described themselves as having no religion increased from just over 20,000 in 2001 to just over 38,000 in 2011. This represents a change from 16% to 29% of those who chose to disclose information about their religious beliefs.

The percentage increased by more than the average across the South East (from 17% to 28%) and the average across England (from 15% to 25%).

The number of people in Thanet that described themselves as Christian decreased from about 93,000 in 2001 to about 82,000 in 2011 (from 74% to 61%). The number of people who did not disclose their religious affiliation decreased from just over 11,000 to just over 9,900 (from 9.0% to 7.4%).

Just over 1,200 people (0.5%) said they were Muslim, up from about 620 in 2001 (0.9%).

The population without a religion in Thanet increased by 13 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, South East and Thanet by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

Rise in private renting

The percentage of privately rented homes increased in Thanet at a faster rate than in Dover (the local authority area that shares the largest boundary with Thanet).

In Thanet, the proportion of private renting increased from 15% in 2001 to 24% in 2011. During the same period, the proportion in nearby Dover increased from 10% to 17%.

Across the South East, the share of privately rented homes increased from 10% to 16%.

The rate of social housing in Thanet remained close to 13%, while the rate of home ownership decreased from 70% to 62%.

Private renting in Thanet increased by 9.3 percentage points

Percentage of households in Thanet, the South East and England that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

More single people in Thanet

The percentage of single people in Thanet increased from 26% to 31% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

In 2011, just over 4 in 10 (44%) people aged 16 and over said they were married, compared with 49% in 2001. The percentage of adults in Thanet that had divorced or separated from a married or civil partner increased from 13% to 15%.

The proportion of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership increased faster here than the figure for the whole of the South East (from 29% in 2001 to 32% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 30% to 35%.

The proportion of people who had never married or entered a civil partnership was lower than across the South East

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they were single across local authority areas in the South East and the average across England, March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Thanet residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 11% to 7.5% between the last two censuses.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just under 8 in 10 (76%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 63% in 2001. The percentage of Thanet residents that described their health as fair decreased from 26% to 17%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 7.2% in 2001 to 4.4% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 9.1% to 5.5%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Thanet decreased by 3.6 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Thanet, the South East and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

Ethnicity in Thanet

The number of people in Thanet from the White ethnic groups increased from about 120,000 in 2001 to just under 130,000 in 2011. However, as a percentage of the local population, this represented a decrease from 98% to 96%.

The percentage decreased by less than the average across the South East (from 95% to 91%) and the average across England (from 91% to 85%).

The number of people in Thanet from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups increased from just under 1,200 in 2001 to about 2,500 in 2011 (from 0.9% to 1.9%). The number of residents from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed) increased from just under 1,100 to about 2,200 (from 0.8% to 1.6%).

About 910 people (0.3%) said they were from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups, up from about 430 in 2001 (0.7%).

The population from the White ethnic groups in Thanet decreased by 2.2 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, South East and Thanet by ethnicity, March 2001 and March 2011

More people cohabiting

The percentage of households in Thanet, which comprised a cohabiting couple, increased from 7.9% to 9.9% between the last two censuses.

In 2011, just over one in three (35%) households had only one person, compared with 34% in 2001. The percentage of households in Thanet which comprised a married couple (with or without children) decreased from 31% to 28%.

The proportion of households with an unmarried couple increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 8.7% in 2001 to 9.9% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 8.3% to 9.9%.

The percentage of households with a cohabiting couple was lower than across the South East

Percentage of households that had an unmarried couple across local authority areas in the South East and the average across England, March 2011

Rise in rate of unemployment

The percentage of Thanet residents that were unemployed increased from 4.4% to 5.7% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

The percentage who said they were employed remained close to 46%, while the percentage of Thanet residents that were self-employed increased from 8.5% to 10%.

The proportion of unemployed people increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 2.3% in 2001 to 3.5% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 3.4% to 4.4%.

The rate of unemployment in Thanet increased by 1.3 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 in Thanet, the South East and England that said they were unemployed, March 2001 and March 2011

Changes in family structure

The percentage of households in Thanet without children remained close to 65% in the decade to 2011.

The percentage that had at least one dependent child remained close to 27%, while the percentage of households in Thanet with only adult children living with their parents increased from 7.9% to 8.1%.

The proportion of households without children increased here at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (which remained close to 62%). Across England, the percentage remained close to 61%.

The proportion of households without children was higher than across the South East

Percentage of households without children across local authority areas in the South East and the average across England, March 2011

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